In the several instances of the flowers being triandrous, the stamens were all perfect; two in the usual position of those organs in Veronica, and the third opposite the upper segment, and hence in a position analogous to the centre of the lower lobe. I found no trace of abortive stamina in other parts of the corolla, or in the position of the third stamen in diandrous flowers.
The capsules vary much in size, from 2 lines to nearly ⅓rd of an inch in length. Those with three valves were very large, and in one instance occupied the whole raceme; in other cases only a few of the capsules were 3-celled. In most instances, and always in the 2-valved, the valves separate from the central column which bears the placentæ and seeds, and the dehiscence is truly septicidal. In many of those with the additional valve, the capsule is only partially septicidal, one or more of the valves separating from the central column; whilst the inner margins of the dissepiments of the others are united from above the middle to the base, with the seeds attached to an inflexed portion and escaping at the top of the capsule, which is split no further down in front than at the back; in other cases all the contiguous dissepiments were thus united, and with the valves not separating at all, either from the axis or from one another, or with the axis itself dividing into three portions, which remain attached to the valves; in both the latter cases the capsules are spuriously loculicidal. I am not aware of this dehiscence occurring in any other of the New Zealand shrubby species of Veronica, or that a 3-valved capsule has been previously observed in the Natural Order Scrophularineæ.
Plate XXXIX & XL. Fig. 1, flower; fig. 2, calyx with an outer segment removed, showing the ovarium; fig. 3, a regular triandrous corolla; fig. 4, the same laid open; fig. 5, a diandrous corolla; fig. 6, a similar one with a lateral segment toothed; fig. 7, a 6-cleft corolla, the upper segment split and one stamen abortive; fig. 8, another 6-cleft corolla, triandrous, the lower segment divided into three; fig. 9, a 3-cleft corolla; fig. 10, a stamen; fig. 11, transverse section of an ovarium; fig. 12, back, and fig. 13, lateral view of a capsule; fig. 14, transverse section of do.; fig. 15, column and seeds; fig. 16, a 3-celled capsule; fig. 17, transverse section of do., with one valve free, the other partially united to the column; fig. 18, transverse section of another 3-valved capsule, with the central column divided into three parts and adhering to the valves; fig. 19, back view of a ripe seed; fig. 20, front view of another; fig. 21, lateral view of do.; fig. 22, embryo:—all magnified.
3. Veronica odora, Hook. fil.; fruticosa, glaberrima, ramis ramulisque erectis strictis virgatis, foliis decussatis uniformibus breviter petiolatis elliptico-ovatis submueronatis v. obtusiusculis concavis crassis rigidis marginibus tenuiter cartilagineis minute crenulatis, racemis brevibus ad apices ramulorum corymboso-confertis, calycis laciniis 4 obtusiusculis corollæ tubum æquantibus, corollæ laciniis majoribus oblongis tubo longioribus, staminibus corolla paulo brevioribus. (Tab. XLI.)
Hab. Lord Auckland's group; in woods near the sea, not uncommon, forming scattered bushes.
Frutex elegans, gracilis, 2—4 pedalis, parce fastigiatim ramosus. Caulis erectus, validus, nudus, semipedalis et ultra, planta juniore obscure tetragonus, cortice atro-fusco. Rami elongati, erecti, stricti, virgati, superne foliosi, hie illic divisi, 2-3 pedes longi, cortice fusco, pallidiore obtecti. Romuli graciles, crassitie fere pennæ anatinæ, subangulati, angulis obtusis, creberrime annulati, utrinque decussatim sulcati, in sulcis puberuli, per totam longitudinem foliosi, simplices v. rarius divisi v. ad apices floriferos furcati, olivaceo-fusci, siccitate fragiles. Folia decussatim opposita, ½—⅔ unc. longa, sub ¼ unc. lata, omnia magnitudine formaque conformia, horizontaliter patentia, inferiora subreflexa, caduca, brevissime petiolata, concava, interdum subcymbiformia, exacte elliptico-ovata, subacuta, basi vix truncata, avenia, glaberrima, valde coriacea, subcornea, dura, marginibus acuentibus, tenuiter cartilagineis, sub lente argute et creberrime crenulatis, supra luride viridia, subnitida, polita, medio canaliculata; subtus pallidiora, costa valida, elevata, percursa, opaca, punctis minimis, albidis notata, siccitate fusco-brunnea, supra obscure transversim rugosa, rigida, subpungentia. Petioli breves, vix ½ lin. longi, crassi, erecti, ramulo appressi, basi latissimi, cum ramulo incrassato articulati, facile soluti. Flores inter folia summa corymboso-racemosi, conferti, conspicui, odorem Jasmini officinalis spirantes. Racemi axil-
